


Dinner Date

by EventHorizons13



Series: 15 Rounds [2]
Category: Grudge Match (2013)
Genre: Dinner dates, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Jon Bernthal characters, One Shot, Untraditional first dates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28302324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EventHorizons13/pseuds/EventHorizons13
Summary: An unexpected snag causes BJ and Shea to have to change up their first date.
Relationships: B.J (Grudge Match 2013)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: 15 Rounds [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018690
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Dinner Date

BJ took one last glance at himself in the mirror, feeling conscious for once about how he looked. Ninety five percent of the time, he lived in sweats. It wasn't a problem with his job unless he had to be at a game. This was a completely different situation though, one that he hadn't dealt with in many years. There was an actual jitter, a nervousness that accompanied the need to ensure he looked put together. The dinner with Shea was looming overhead. 

He was ready by three thirty to make sure that there wasn't any sort of hang up. The plan was to pick her up around five thirty. That was the idea until he ended up getting a call from his mom. She wasn't feeling well enough to be able to watch Trey. His stomach dropped but he knew that he couldn't put that on her. She rarely ever backed out, which meant she really wasn't feeling well. Trey was his and that meant that he had to push back whatever was supposed to happen with Shea. Once again, he had the thought that he wasn't in high school. 

She had said she wouldn't be home until five, but it wouldn't be polite to wait until then when he knew that the dinner would have to be postponed. So, he sent her a quick text. 

I'm sorry Shea. Turns out my mom can't watch Trey tonight. Can we reschedule the dinner?

The seconds crept by as he waited for a reply, even when logically he knew that she might not be able to respond right away. His stomach rolled and he picked up his son from school, giving him no signs that anything was remotely wrong.

The phone buzzed on the ride home but he couldn't look at it. Ushering the young boy inside, he finally freed the phone from his pants. There were three texts of Shea. 

You don't need to be sorry. If it isn't too much, I could always cook for the both of you at my place.

That is, if you are okay with that and Trey is too.

I'm sorry. That is super forward and I completely understand if you aren't comfortable. 

For a second, all BJ could do was stare at the texts, reading them over and over as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. She was offering to cook for him and his son after he had asked her out on a date. It seemed a little surreal. Of course then there was the panic that she had somehow overstepped some boundaries. It was sweet of her. BJ took a second to let out a breath and found himself smiling. It was more than what some other women had done. Trey was the most important thing to him and someone he was going to be with had to understand that. She clearly did already since she was including him in this dinner.

Trey had shed his backpack and already gotten himself a drink. She was seeking Trey's acceptance so he might as well ask him. 

"Hey bud, come here for a second. I got a question for ya." 

"Yeah dad?" Trey wandered over and waited patiently.

"How do you feel about going out for dinner tonight?"

"Like The Stadium?" BJ chuckled and shook his head. 

"Nah. Not tonight. You remember Shea from the gym?" He got a nod and continued on. "Well, she offered to make us some dinner if you were okay with that." Trey was eyeing him by now and he knew that those cogs in his head were turning full speed. Sometimes he was too smart for his own good but he was still just an eight year old. 

"What's she making?" 

"That I don't know. I didn't tell her we were coming yet."

"Well you should do that. How are we supposed to get the food if she doesn't know?"

"I'm going to take care of that right now. Don't you worry." BJ smiled and felt a little more at ease about the whole evening.

You sure that's not too much trouble?

Not at all. Wouldn't have offered if it was. Is 6:30 too late for you guys? Need a little time to throw something together.

Nope. Works perfect. 

BJ felt surprised once she had texted the address, the need for quick thinking and nerves set aside for now. They barely knew each other from the gym and she was willing to allow him over to her house. He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing but he wasn't going to allow himself to second guess anything. The rest of the evening could be played out before he made any judgement on something like that. 

****************************

He arrived at the house, easily getting Trey out of his car seat before walking to the front door. Trey was excited and knocked for them both. 

Shea opened the door with a smile.

"Good evening." She stepped aside to let them in. "Please come in." 

"Hi Shea!" Trey was chipper and stepped right in, causing a soft laugh to come from BJ as he followed her in. 

"Wait a second there. You know you gotta ask if you need to take your shoes off." Trey stopped right in his tracks and turned to look at Shea. 

"It's okay. If you don't mind, that would be great." Shea answered with a small smile. "I can take your backpack if you want." Trey handed it over without question and she moved to set it on a hook, one low enough that Trey would still be able to reach it. It struck BJ as odd but he kept his questions to himself for now. 

"It smells good in here," BJ complimented. 

"Thank you. I wasn't sure what you might like so I went with a few things I was most comfortable making." 

"We aren't picky eaters at all. A homemade meal is not something we will complain about." 

"Good." She offered them both a smile. Leading them into the house more, she motioned for them to take a seat. "Please make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be ready in just a couple minutes." Trey immediately climbed onto the couch and got himself comfortable. The kid could make himself comfortable anywhere though and BJ knew that it wasn't a bad thing. 

"Can I do anything to help?" Shea shook her head and motioned for him to sit down. 

"Nope. Not at all. It's almost done. You are my guest and that means you get to relax." She disappeared into the kitchen but it only took a moment for her to call out. "Would you like anything to drink?"

"Ice tea!" Trey answered. BJ reached out and ruffled the boy's hair. 

"Ice tea sounds good if you have it." 

"Two ice teas coming right up." There was some clinking of glasses before Shea appeared again with a glass in one hand and a cup for Trey in the other. "Here you guys go."

"Thank you," Trey offered, without prompt. Shea gave him a smile.

"You are welcome."

True to her word, the dinner was done in a few minutes. She had plates on the table and was smiling the entire time. 

"Some homemade mac and cheese with some chicken for you Trey." If it was possible, it made the eight year old more excited. He already had his fork in hand. "And some orange chicken kale stir fry for us." He was impressed that she had managed to make two meals in a short span of time. Especially a homemade mac and cheese. He settled in at the table.

"Thank you. You didn't have to go through the trouble of cooking two separate dinners." She shrugged it off with a small laugh.

"It's something I'm used to. My sister's kid practically lives off mac and cheese so that's something I could probably cook in my sleep." That could have explained the low hanging hook that she had. She could have her niece or nephew over a lot. 

"Wow. This is so much better than the box stuff," Trey announced with enthusiasm, causing both adults to laugh.

"I'm happy to hear such high praise." BJ could see that his son was actually content and comfortable, something that meant more to him than he could put into words. Shea was waiting to see what his reaction was, so he didn't keep her waiting. The food was as good as it smelled, without being too heavy. He swallowed down what he had, remembering his manners.

"It's really good." He could see her visibly relax as he said he liked the food. She had been worried. Maybe he wasn't the only one with nerves over the whole thing. That thought was calming alone and he settled into the dinner. 

****************************

The dinner was casual, Shea keeping Trey involved so he would get too bored. The boy was happy to go on about his day at school, having another captive audience besides his father and grandmother. BJ couldn't help but marvel at the back and forth, the interactions just cementing his choice to ask her for dinner. There wasn't a lot of usual first date talk, there really couldn't be given that they weren't by themselves. But BJ wasn't complaining given the thoughtfulness of the invitation to include his son. 

"Least I can do is help you clean up," BJ offered at the end of the dinner. He wouldn't feel right leaving her with everything after she had shifted her schedule and cooked for them. Shea consented and BJ moved to get Trey set up to work on some homework while he helped clean the dinner. 

The back and forth movements were easy, dishes passed between them as she offered direction on where they went once they were cleaned. 

"Thank you. For this I mean." BJ wasn't exactly sure how to approach it but knew that he needed to make it know how much he appreciated the night. "You didn't have to cook for the both of us. It woulda been easier if you just took a rain-check." 

"It's no big deal, really," she assured him. "I just didn't want to seem too forward. I know it could have made you uncomfortable."

"I don't think a lot of people would have made the offer. Or included Trey if they did."

"He's a great kid." BJ smiled and let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah, yeah he is." Shea paused and glanced over to him. 

"I know it's only a first dinner. But I understand that if anything goes anywhere between us, he has to be included." Her voice was soft as she spoke, unsure if he wanted Trey to know any of that yet. Or even if he was going to want another dinner. BJ paused beside her, once again caught off guard by the way that she was reading everything and offering up more than what others would have. Where had this woman been years ago? "I said my sister has a kid. She's a single mom. Enough guys have come and gone, deciding nothing was worth it because of her son. They get scared off. I have seen what that does to her and to him. That's not something I wanna put anyone else through."

"That's really thoughtful of you," he started. "You're right. Others just don't think about things like that when it comes to the kids. I haven't dated a lot, if I'm being honest with you. He's been my main priority since his mother left." He fell quiet for a moment but Shea didn't push him for anything. 

"And he still is. That isn't going to change."

"Wouldn't ever expect it to." 

"But, I'd like to think we can add to it. I'm thankful he is as comfortable as he is with people but he definitely likes you. And I'd like to get to know you better. So, maybe we can do this again?" He was hopeful. The evening had gone incredibly well. He was more than happy about it all and definitely wanted to see where this could go. She was right. It was only a first dinner but it was better than any of the first dinners or dates that he had ever had. Most importantly, Trey liked her. 

"I'd love that." He felt some instantly relief, the nerves once again having built up as soon as he asked for a second date. 

"Next time I'll cook," he offered. "May not be quite as good as this but I have a few things under my belt." He would have to see if it could be just them. They could spend some time talking, really getting to know one another. 

"Sounds like a plan to me." They finished up and BJ got Trey all packed up. It was getting late anyway and he needed to get his son home to go to sleep. 

"Get home safe," Shea murmured. BJ couldn't help himself. He leaned in and kissed her cheek as he ushered Trey out the door, hiding the action from his son for the time being. 

"Thank you again, Shea. Good night."

"Good night Shea!"

"Good night BJ. Good night Trey."


End file.
